Wifi isn’t the only way to connect your online store with customers

We all love browsing online for a new pair of shoes or that special occasion outfit. No crowds, endless choices and you can do it in your pyjamas – why not! But it’s also great to have the option to try something on in-store before you buy it.

In fact, almost half of Aussie shoppers prefer to browse online but purchase in-store. Despite the growth of online retail, shopping in-store has retained its appeal, with 7 in 10 Aussies saying they shop online the same or more than they did three years ago and 8 in 10 millennial shoppers feel more loyal to brands that have a physical retail presence than those that are online.

The findings from Xero, also reveal that the three most enjoyable aspects of shopping in-store are the ability to try things on, the opportunity to browse and access to in-person customer service.

Deciding to put this research to the test, Xero has created a pop-up store ‘Xero Cloud St’ that will be travelling from Brisbane to Newcastle, Wollongong, Parramatta and Melbourne. The pop-up store gives online businesses the opportunity to have a bricks and mortar space in some of the most popular shopping districts in the country.

“While there’s no doubt online players have forever changed the retail landscape, shopping in-store has retained its appeal with the majority of Aussies. In fact, more than 70 per cent say they shop the same or more in-store now than they did three years ago,” said Trent Innes, Xero Australia’s managing director.

“Xero’s Cloud St celebrates the love Aussies have for the ritual of shopping in-store by giving a selection of unique, boutique online brands the chance to have a physical set-up in some of the country’s most sought-after retail spots. It’s exciting for both the Xero’s Cloud St retailers and local shoppers alike.”

Xero’s research uncovered the items Aussies most prefer to buy in-store are clothes, footwear and accessories.

Illustrating the influence social media has on purchasing decisions, more than four in 10 Australians have made the decision to shop in-store based on what they’ve seen posted by a retailer or fellow shopper on a social media platform.

From clicks to mortar

Rolling out in the build-up to the holiday season – Australia’s busiest retail time of the year – Xero’s Cloud St will launch the first of its five-city road show this Sunday at Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall, Australia’s most popular pedestrian mall.

Radical Yes, an online fashion footwear and accessories store, will be the first business to feature as part of Xero’s Cloud St.

“I love the flexibility and reach having an online retail business enables, but having a physical set up is still something I consider to be really valuable,” said Kerryn Moscicki, founder of Radical Yes.

“Selling in person allows customers to have the opportunity to experience and explore your brand for themselves. It’s a chance for me to chat to people to understand more about what it is they’re looking for – insights that are really important. I’m always on the lookout for ways to showcase my brand offline,” she said.

Xero’s Cloud St kicked off this Sunday 16 October at 8am with Radical Yes at Queen Street Mall in Brisbane. It will continue in the following locations: